In the past, the typical way of indicating to the user the type and color of a print cartridge to be used in printers such as inkjet printers having removable print cartridges was to color code this information on the outside of the print cartridge housing. This approach had the disadvantage of providing no positive feedback to the user, and furthermore it would not prevent improper use for those print cartridges and printer carriages which were otherwise configured for proper mating of the print cartridge into the printer carriage. This use of print cartridges in printer carriages for which they were not intended can result in undesirable print quality and possible damage to both the print cartridge and the printer in which it is used.